Hi all,
I've played with bobbin lace over the years. I am basically a beginner maybe a little more. My wife, Amy, collects fans. So far she has about a half a dozen Lady Susan's feather fans as well as several others including cross stitch and beads.
So to add to her collection I decided to do a fan. One site I use for reference is http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/ (http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/). Always great info. She constantly updates her site and recently added a fan pattern -
(http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/fan1.gif)
So I started getting together the supplies. First off was I needed a new "pillow". I got some flower foam from the craft store, glued it to a board and shaped it. Than I glued a couple sheets of craft foam to the top to give a good structure for the pins to stick into -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg33/scaled.php?server=33&filename=fan1n.jpg&res=medium)
Covered it with some scarp fabric for a working surface. The funny thing is the scrap fabric turned out to be camo. Not sure if this gets me any masculinity points back but it is definitely different -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg220/scaled.php?server=220&filename=fan3.jpg&res=medium)
Got a few new bobbins in since this pattern will take 31 bobbins. Spent over 5 hours just winding the bobbins. Took two full spools of white floss just to fill them -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg155/scaled.php?server=155&filename=fan4l.jpg&res=medium)
Setting everything up -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg200/scaled.php?server=200&filename=fan5b.jpg&res=medium)
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg197/scaled.php?server=197&filename=fan6s.jpg&res=medium)
After the first 3 hours I got about 2 square inches done -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg233/scaled.php?server=233&filename=fan8.jpg&res=medium)
A close up view. I added a black worker to give a contrast on the twisted fan headside and I will also add a black passive on the footside -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg829/scaled.php?server=829&filename=fan7z.jpg&res=medium)
Amy is currently making a black and white dress so I hope even the test run will look nice enough to carry. If all goes well I will repeat in linen.
Drac
Wow that is starting to look amazing. I hope it works out for you. I have always wanted to try bobbin lace. Though it does look like a change. Many cuddos to you.
10 points for you! I would have been hopelessly tangled just getting started.
WOW! Lots of kudos to you for trying that! I'm hopelessly confused just looking at it! Can't wait to see it finished!
Well the test run went so-so. After a little while it got smoother but by the time I got through a portion of the fan so I could see how it would look it be came clear that the thread at 50/2 was to thin.
So it is back to winding and winding and winding again to get the bobbins done up with #8 thread. The original is a little thinner than #12 or standard DMC thread so (hopefully) this should add substance to the fan without being so thick it distorts the pattern.
Stay tone to take 2...
Drac
Well here is how the test run came out -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg200/scaled.php?server=200&filename=fan11.jpg&res=medium)
Like I said a little to fine and there are some rally bad mistakes.
Here is the start for round 2 -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg580/scaled.php?server=580&filename=fan09.jpg&res=medium)
And after a couple hours -
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg195/scaled.php?server=195&filename=fan10j.jpg&res=medium)
Much better. Not as thick as I would have wished but if I go any thicker I will loose detail. As it is the spider is a bit bulky. I know it's hard to see with all the pins but once I get a few more inches done I will be able to pull some of the center pins.
Drac
Our Florida State Faire has an area set up with old buildings salvaged from all over the state. They call it Kracker Country, and there you can find all sorts of living history exhibits and displays of nearly lost arts. My favorite is the lady who demonstrates bobbin lace. You can sit and watch her and ask questions...I just love how fast she works the bobbins and no pattern, and she's very elderly. Been doing this all her life. Really neat stuff.
My hats off to you. Not sure I could keep all that in order!
Posting here so I can look back at this. I've been wanting to learn bobbin lace, I have all the supplies I need, I just need the push to learn. Unfortunately I'm tied up with a crossstitch and a pirate coat right now, but this is next!
Well, it looks like it will be moving on to take three.
I realized I was doing the solid areas wrong. For lack of a better understanding (on my part) I was doing the solid areas as a "ground" (a filling pattern) instead of a trail (passives and worker).
When I did the cloth and half stitch in a ground the thread size was to thin. When I up-ed the size and realized I was doing it wrong the thread was too thick and I lost the pattern.
Back to wind, wind, wind again.
Drac
You are a better person than I. I would have gone mad trying to keep all that straight. You are doing a wonderful job.